Bright Eyes
by IncompetentNothings
Summary: Kagome and her family have just moved to California. Far away from the complications of her old life, she looks forward to a bright future. However, by a twist of events she gets involved with a hotheaded hanyou whose life is far from easy. Hidden secrets emerge and love ensues. Warnings: drugs, sex
1. Chapter 1

_Chirp Chirp_!

The whimsical chirping of birds outside her open window awakened a sleeping Kagome Higurashi. She slowly blinked her big brown eyes open, observing her billowing white curtains in the warm summer breeze. Her slim pale arms stretched high over her head and she smiled. She could smell her mother's cooking downstairs, mixed with the pungent scent of coffee. So far, the first morning at their new home in California was going perfectly. Sitting up, she smoothed the folds in her pale pink nightgown and undid her hair bun, allowing long ink-colored locks to cascade over her narrow shoulders. Without warning, she felt a slobbery tongue lick her painted toenails causing the sixteen year old girl to giggle cutely.

"Oi! Mai, what are you doin cutie pie?"

She leaned forward picking up her fluffy white husky pup. Mai squirmed with delight and tried to lick Kagome's face, yipping with obvious frustration as she pulled her face away.

"No no no! You know I don't like puppy kisses to the face."

She tucked the pup under her arm and began to head downstairs careful for boxes and other items that hadn't been put away yet. Her mother was making some homemade Belgian waffles in the kitchen with the help of Sota, Kagome's 11 year old brother. Her grandfather was poised at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in one hand and an opened newspaper in the other. Kagome smiled at her family and sat Mai down: the pup scurried off to sniff her new territory with a gleeful bark. Kagome waltzed around the kitchen placing a kiss on her mother's cheek and grandfathers. She ruffled Sota's hair playfully.

"Morning everyone, thank you for the waffles mama! It smells delicious."

Ms. Higurashi smiled at her daughter.

"Good morning sweetheart, I promised you and Sota I'd make them…How did you sleep?"

Kagome leaned against the counter and glanced out the sun filled bay window. She could see the ocean and the white sand along the shore. There were a few people wandering along the shore: couples holding hands, dog walkers, and teenagers with surf boards. Kagome felt peaceful looking out the window at the beautiful environment: her new home.

"I slept well Mama….It's so beautiful out here. I feel like this will be a good place for us."

Her mother smiled gently.

"It's quite beautiful, but it will take some getting used to."

Kagome nodded and took her plate: she put some freshly cut strawberries on her waffle before sitting down beside her grandfather. She could see the ocean from where she sat, and the peaceful lull of the waves soothed her heart to the core. Chewing thoughtfully, she wondered what her new school would be like. She wondered if there would be many demons at this school, or maybe even a half-demon. For some unknown reason, Kagome was always fascinated by half demons. She knew they were extremely rare to find, even in this time. Sadly, it was still looked down upon to mix blood.

She finished up her waffle and took a swig of orange juice. By this time, her little white puppy had returned and was looking up at her happily, tongue dangling and eyes sparkling. Kagome smiled down at the pup before reaching down to pet her silky fur.

"Hey Mai, let me get dressed and then I'll take you for a walk!"

The puppy wagged her tail back and forth yipping with delight. She knew what walk meant, and this new area had many new smells. The pup was overjoyed. Kagome stood up and walked to the sink, Mai following at her heals. She rinsed off the crumbs and placed the plate in the dishwasher before turning to her mother.

"Mama, do you need me to run any errands while I'm out walking Mai?"

Her mother bit her bottom lip subtly and tapped the table, thinking over her request. Finally, she shook her head,

"No, not exactly errands. However, I was thinking you could stop by the bakery downtown and bring us back some treats?" Ms. Higurashi reached into her pocket pulling out a twenty dollar bill and smiling at Kagome, "Have fun, make some new friends!" Kagome giggled and shook her head, thankfully taking the twenty and heading upstairs to get ready.

When she entered the bathroom attached to her room she stripped down to nothing and stepped into the shower, rinsing her pale skin with cold water. She washed her hair with a fruity smelling shampoo, and a matching conditioner. After a good ten minutes of showering, she turned off the water and stepped out; she felt refreshed. She decided to let her waist length hair air dry and carefully spread a sweet smelling lotion on her skin to moisturize. Then she did her makeup, but only a little: she put on a light powder, she curled her long lashes, and finished up with a sheer lip gloss. Afterwards, she stepped into her bright room and went to her closet, pulling out a pretty floral sundress.

After dressing, she went downstairs. Mai was already by the door, her tail was flipping to and fro at an abnormal speed and she was shaking with excitement to get outside. Kagome laughed at the pup and adjusted a small purse on her shoulder before slipping on her shoes and hooking Mai to her leash,

"Common girl, let's go exploring."


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome strolled down the sidewalk, smiling at the people she came across. Mai was going crazy over the new smells: she barked at chirping birds, buried her nose in the dry grass beside the sidewalk, and stared at the palm trees with wary eyes. Kagome enjoyed the warmth of the sun. She tilted her face upward and breathed in deeply. She felt so comfortable here. Looking forward, she saw the bakery her mother had been talking about. It was a little further down the road alongside some other little shops downtown.

As Kagome drew closer, the smell of the pastries filled the air. She had no idea what to choose for herself or her family, but she was sure it would be delicious.

But, when Kagome finally reached the shop she stopped and looked down at Mai. Right on the door was a big sign clearly stating 'no dogs allowed'. Kagome grumbled quietly, slightly annoyed by the shop keepers rule. Now she needed to find someplace to tie up Mai.

She looked around and saw a dark wood bench not far from the bakery, where she could defiantly keep an eye on Mai from the Bakery window. She led her husky puppy to the bench and tied her red leash to one of the legs. Then, she looked at Mai, waiting for the pup's attention with a stern look on her face.

"Now Mai, I have to leave you here for a few minutes. Be a good girl and sit."

When Mai sat, Kagome smiled and stood up. She turned her back to head to the bakery, and looked back once more before entering the small pastry shop. However, Kagome's smile quickly turned into a horrified stare as she saw her puppy sprinting away from the bench, leash flailing in the air behind her.

"BAD GIRL MAI! SOMEBODY STOP THAT PUPPY!"

Kagome started to run after Mai as fast as she could in her flip flops, only to trip and fall a few paces later. Tears began to well in her eyes as she scrambled to her feet. She looked up and couldn't see Mai: her lips quivered and her voice trembled as she called out her puppy's name again.

"Mai?"

Suddenly, a low growl and a frightened yipe resonated from an ally a few stores down. At the sound, Kagome's eyes widened and she ran to the ally. Her heart pounded quickly as she drew closer to the ally expecting to see a wild dog. Although she was terrified, she couldn't let a wild animal hurt her puppy. Mai had been a gift from her father. The last gift from her father.

Closing her eyes tightly, Kagome skidded around the corner. She held her breath, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She surged forward, right into the hard chest of a boy, and stumbling backward abit.

She blinked in surprise as he practically shoved the puppy at her face.

"I assume this is the bitch you were hollering about."

Her eyes narrowed at his comment and she pulled Mai away from him quickly, "Hey don't call her a bi-".

Kagome's voice seemed to have evaporated as her eyes met his.

They were beautiful.

Molten amber speckled exquisitely with a bronze gold color: his dark eyelashes seemed to make the picturesque orbs glow, like a smoldering flame. Her eyes slowly ripped themselves away and instead caught sight of his sun kissed skin and long silver hair. She felt her heartbeat pick up as she saw two pointed ears, covered with velvety fur, flicker upon his head. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened just slightly: he was a half demon. Her mind went wild with questions she wanted to ask, when suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by his hostile voice.

"What the hell are you staring at?"

He gave her a guarded look, one of his fangs poking out from behind his lips. Kagome looked up at him. The way he was talking should've evoked some fear in her. He was much bigger than her: he must've been at least six feet tall. Strong too. She discreetly traced his muscles with her eyes through his red t-shirt. And instead of being afraid, Kagome Higurashi took a step closer. Her gentle brown eyes beamed at him. He took a step back.

"What's your name?"

"Are you stupid? Why didn't you answer my damn question?" His eyes narrowed with annoyance as he caught the subtle sadness in her eyes from his comment. She stared at him for a moment before looking down at the concrete beneath her feet, meekly tracing the uneven groves with her eyes.

"Sorry.. I just.."

Her feet shuffled uncomfortably. He was making her nervous; she didn't understand why he was so crabby. Then she heard him sigh; he crossed his arms over his chest. His bright golden eyes stared inquisitively at her.

"Whatever, just forget about it, the names Inuyasha."

She blinked slowly looking up at him with a newfound joy. He felt heat rise to his cheeks. Anyone with eyes could see how beautiful this girl was, and he couldn't fathom any reason she'd need his name.

She smiled at him, and held out her free hand.

"That's a nice name; I'm Kagome."

Inuyasha hesitantly took her hand and shook once before pulling away quickly. What the hell was this girl doing? His ears twitched awkwardly. This whole situation was making him feel uncomfortable. He needed to leave. He had to get home before Sesshomaru, so he wouldn't find out he was out.

"Yeah, well.. I'm glad you got your dog back. Guess I'll see ya around."

Then, hastily, he stepped around her and disappeared around the corner. She whipped around holding Mai to her chest. She replayed the moment in her head with a small blush. She wondered where he was off to.

As she stepped out of the ally, she looked around for him, but, to her disappointment, he was already gone. With a huff she sat Mai down and headed in the direction of her home, forgetting the pastries entirely. She hoped that she'd see him again soon.

Maybe she'd be lucky and see him at school?


	3. Chapter 3

Inuyasha bounded quickly in the direction of his home. He leaped gracefully from sun-cracked sidewalks. He flew, skimming over trees, old concrete apartments, and empty parking lots dotted with broken Bud lites.

The cotton shirt he wore began to stick to his skin uncomfortably. He wasn't very fond of the California heat. Personally, he preferred the colder temperatures, like the Autumn where he used to live. As he bolted through the street, he longed for the crisp breeze and smell of burning leaves. However, those thoughts died quickly as he approached his quiet home. There was no sense in reminiscing over something lost years ago.

Thankfully, Sesshomaru was still out with Rin when he arrived. It was one of those rare occasions when he wasn't watched, and he took advantage of it. Leaping to his windowsill, he carefully pried it open: he made sure to shut and lock it behind him upon entering his dimly lit room.

His head throbbed at a consistent beat. Periodically, it would stop, but with the slightest sound it would pick up again. Though, there was no one to blame but himself.

He silently maneuvered to his bed, plopping down with an exhausted huff. His long silver hair spread beneath his wary body and his golden eyes drooped lazily. Turning slightly with a weak groan, he fumbled clumsily for his packet of cigarettes, padding the nightstand with a clawed hand. He needed to unwind. Everything seemed to be in fast forward for the past few years.

Once he retrieved them, he took one and lit it up. He watched the smoke, twisting and turning, dancing upwards towards the ceiling of the dark room before dissipating. He inhaled and allowed his mind to wander. Faintly, Kagome's scent lingered on his hand.

His eyes narrowed darkly and he inhaled once more before crushing the cigarette in the ashtray. That girl. Her scent reminded him of something, or rather someone he hoped he'd forget.

She smelt sweet. It made him sick. She even looked like the witch.

His thoughts traced back to two years ago. Two years ago it was Kikyo who'd looked at him with sadness reflected in her dark eyes. And like today, he felt guilty and caved in. Of course, Kagome did nothing to him. He knew he had no right comparing the foolish new girl to Kikyo. It was just the appearance: the long hair, the pale skin, the dark eyes. He hated how she made his heart beat quicker and his hands sweaty. He hated those feelings.

Inuyasha bitterly reminded himself that He couldn't afford to be nice. He couldn't risk revealing that side of himself to anyone. When you do that, you become vulnerable which makes it a lot easier for people like Kikyo to prey on you. He coldly reminded himself that when you put yourself out there, you only open yourself up to become twisted and morphed. To lose yourself.

I mean, that's what everyone thought of him when they found out what happened.

He could taste bile in the back of his throat. His own brother couldn't even trust his judgment.  
They all thought he was crazy. He remembered their faces. The fake understanding looks overshadowed with pity he didn't want. Scratch that, he didn't deserve. Kagome's gentle brown eyes flashed into his mind for a brief moment. He told himself she would learn. People talk.

He looked up at his ceiling fan, spinning slowly around and around. It reminded him of himself. Always repeating himself, making the same mistakes, doing the same damn thing day after day after day.

Life: it was so redundant.

Falling backward into the sheets and closing his eyes, Inuyasha wondered when he became such a pessimist. Then, he allowed an empty sleep to take him.


	4. Chapter 4

About two weeks passed before she saw him again.

Kagome had been out riding her bike with Sota, wearing blue jean shorts, a white T-shirt, grey tennis shoes, and her hair up in a high ponytail.

Sweat was starting to gather on her forehead as they passed countless Surf shops, changing booths, and concession stands along the white sanded beaches, and Sota was beginning to whine about how thirsty he was.

Losing her patience, Kagome decided to stop at one of the concession stands to get her and Sota slurpies. They pulled up to one that looked like a miniature circus tent. It was made of red and white striped fabric, and sold old style pretzels, cardboard quality pizza, nachos with neon orange cheese, and slurpies for a price too high.

A stout man, with a big mustache and squinty eyes, behind the counter demanded the price and held out his pudgy hand greedily, and at first, all Kagome did was stare at him grudgedly. However, she wasn't in the mood to argue. Plus, she was thirsty too.

Once she and Sota got their drinks, hers red and his a faded blue color, they sat down at one of the picnic tables. Kagome took a sip of her syrupy drink and looked down at the old table. There were deeply carved etchings in the faded wood: hearts with couples initials in them, vile words, and random names.

With a bored sigh she rested her head on her hand, drinking slowly and imagining what the people who wrote on this table were like.

Her mind played out different scenarios. She imagined a gangly boy, angry with his mother, grinding hateful words into the wood. She imagined hoards of giggling sixth graders, feeling the thrill of breaking the law, as they vandalized the table with their own names. She leaned foreword slightly on her bench, as she imagined herself and a boy, a silver haired boy with glowing golden eyes and sun kissed skin, at this very picnic table late at night, etching their initials into the weather worn table. A contented sigh escaped her lips.

She slowly looked up from the table at Sota. He was staring at the beach with wonder, smiling like a fool. Then Kagome turned her gaze beyond him looking at the people walking, running, or biking on the sidewalk past the beach. That's when she saw Inuyasha.

He was dressed heavily for the weather, wearing a dark grey sweatshirt, hood up, and tight fitting blue jeans with worn red shoes. He moved quickly, like water: his eyes scanning the many faces he passed by, and his hands deep in the sweatshirts front pocket.

He paused for a moment and turned his head, as if looking to see if someone were following him. Then, he visibly relaxed. He lowered his hood and let out a puff of air. His shoulders slumped lazily and he started walking again, but slower this time.

Kagome was curious about what had just happened, but she pretended not to notice him as he approached the concession stand from the sidewalk. She mentally took note of how his gorgeous gold eyes reflected brilliantly in the afternoon sun, as she watched him from the corner of her eyes. She saw him look at the concession stand, puppy ears perking slightly and nose twitching. He must've been hungry because he stopped and decided to get a pretzel.

Kagome blushed, and wondered if he saw her. She lowered her head bashfully and watched him as he exchanged his money for the pretzel eagerly. Then he turned to look for a place to sit, and their eyes met. Kagome noticed giddily the faint redness growing on his cheeks, but silenced her thoughts by telling herself it was just the heat getting to him.

He awkwardly stopped in his place before giving her a stiff nod. Kagome, on the other hand, took the opportunity to wave him over, excitedly scooting to the far side of her bench to give him room to sit.

Inuyasha looked at the spot she was offering for a moment before looking up at her expectant face. Then, with a sidelong glance and a weak half smile, he reluctantly trudged over through the sand to sit beside her.

Inuyasha held his breath for a moment before exhaling slowly, looking between her and Sota. His lips pursed and his eyes lowered to the pretzel in his hand before he spoke quietly in a neutral tone,

"Hi."

Her eyes lit up and her smile widened.

"hellooo there Inuyasha!", she chirped girlishly, "How're ya doin? Why are you wearing such heavy clothing? It's nearly 80 degrees?"

Inuyasha had a mouthful of pretzel at the moment, so he waited to finish chewing before answering. The entire time Kagome just stared kindly at him with her gentle doe eyes. He suddenly felt very tired.

"I'm fine, just hungry. And I don't know. I just decided I wanted to wear this. No particular reason."

He felt heat rise to his cheeks and his palms became clammy with sweat. His ears twitched and his shoulders slumped. She was still staring.

"Oh. Well, I don't think that was a very good idea."

Inuyasha just ignored her comment, taking another bite of his food. Then he looked back at her with lazy nonchalantness,

"Keh. Well, I don't know, loosely tying your dog to a bench probably wasn't a good idea either, but who am I to judge."

He looked back at his food, picking off a burn piece and throwing it to a seagull nearby. He could feel her scowling at him. He just smirked.

"you got a problem woman?"

He didn't even look up.

"No, but that was low. I never would've intentionally let Mai do that"

She pouted at him and he looked at her with raised eyebrows and a bored gaze.

"No need to be so sensitive. I know you care about the stupid dog. You were hollering like a banshee, all over town, chasing her."

Kagome lowered her head blushing cutely and looking at him through her bangs, "yeah yeah smartass." He gave her a dry laugh and, once again, their eyes met.

Inuyasha felt his throat go dry, his heartbeat picked up, and his cheeks seemed to grow unbearably hot. He squirmed in his seat and looked away, finishing the rest of his food without saying a word.

Meanwhile, Sota watched Inuyasha curiously as he interacted with Kagome. The little boy waited until Inuyasha had the last bite of pretzel in his mouth before leaning in close to his face with suspicious eyes.

"Who are you? And how do you know my sister? We just moved here a few weeks ago!"

Inuyasha swallowed his food, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and stood up, swiping his hands together.

"Why should I tell you, you demanding little punk. Ask your sister."

He nodded his head in Kagomes direction and put his hands in his pockets looking at her blankly.

"Sooo. Nice to see you again, but I gotta go."

She crinkled her eyebrows at him and puffed out her cheeks,

"What, got a hot date?"

To her surprise, his eyes widened considerably. A burning pain surfaced in the amber orbs for a split second, fading quickly into a harsh, guarded glare. He snapped at her through clenched teeth.

"No. I just have to go home."

Kagome was surprised by how harsh his tone became and she realized she must've brought up a touchy subject. She folded her hands and blinked up at him innocently,

"Sorry I asked, If you have to get home then go ahead. I should probably head back home too."

His eyes remained guarded but his stance seemed to ease. He nodded at her and began to turn, heading back to the sidewalk. The sun was setting.

"See ya later Kagome."

She watched his retreating form and responded sweetly,

"Yes, see you later...Inuyasha"

Sota glared at the back of Inuyasha's head, watching until he could no longer see the silver haired hanyou.

"What's that guys problem?"

Kagome looked down at Sota's head and chuckled.

"Not sure."

Sota grumbled and started walking to the bikes. Kagome followed him, deep in thought.

Something wasn't right. She could tell. She just didn't know what. She tried to understand why he was so brisk and hesitant . She wondered why he was really wearing that outfit. She pondered why he was so defensive. She wondered who had been following him and why.

Inuyasha had become something of great interest to her. For some reason, she wanted to know him more then she ever wanted to know anyone else in her life.  
And she didn't just want the surface.

She wanted to know all of him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello Dear Readers (: **

**I wanted to let you know that I appreciate your feedback. It always makes my day. I love reading your compliments/criticism. I want to improve my writing for all of you. Also, I'm very sorry I haven't written in so long. I've been struggling with writers block. I've decided there will not be any sexual/physical In the story because it would just get blown way out of proportion, however there will be drug abuse and a character death. It just goes better with the story. I promise I will try not to disappoint.**

**Lots of love xxx**

~~3

_"Inuyasha...Why are you always so sad?"_

_Her quiet voice echoed throughout the small room, and she seemed to peer deep into the depths of his soul with misty brown eyes. _

_Inuyasha tilted his head to the side thoughtfully, he wouldn't dare look away from her, instead he watched her in silent awe. She was so beautiful. His liquid amber eyes reflected upon her face with a fondness only she had ever witnessed. _

_He took her hand gently: she felt cold. The pale skin of her hand contrasted his tanned one; her fingertips were slightly blue, probably because she smoked too much. Ignoring this, He traced his warm thumb over the palm of her hand in delicate circles. He smiled weakly at her, _

_"I'm not sad. I'm happy." _

_He answered her with an air of subtle defiance. She always asked this question, hoping someday his answer would change. That he'd go off on a tangent: Tell her his whole life story. She sighed quietly, slipping her slim fingers away from his and folding her cold hands in her lap. Her pin straight hair fell over her shoulder, hiding her face, and she leaned away from him. _

_"Fine. Have it your way. Keep worrying me." _

_Golden eyes seemed to melt as he observed her reaction. His voice was quiet. Soothing. _

_"Don't be like that, please. Kikyo, you know I love you." _

_She sat up straighter and turned abruptly to look at her hanyou boyfriend. Her eyes were livid with obvious irritation. He was staring at her with gentle pleading eyes. _

_"You know I don't use that word." _

_His ears flattened and he nodded before looking up at the stark white ceiling. They sat on an old creaky mattress without covers. There were no windows in this room, only white walls with chipped paint and dirt stains, it smelled like mothballs and sweat. However, Inuyasha didn't care. He was with Kikyo, and he loved her. And if this is what she wanted, he wouldn't take that away from her. He was quiet for a long moment, thinking over her bitter words, before giving her a caring gaze. _

_"Doesn't mean I don't." _

_She crossed her arms over her chest, and narrowed her eyes. _

_"Inuyasha. __**Love is for fools.**__" _

_ Then, she bent over, causing the old mattress to whine, and dug through her backpack resting on the ugly tiled floor. She tossed an orange lighter at Inuyasha, who caught it reflexively. Then she pulled out what she came to this rundown house for. Smirking at her ever loyal hanyou boyfriend, she leaned forward and kissed his lips chastely. _

_"Well, since you won't help calm my poor nerves, you might as well make yourself useful. Help me set this up."_

_ He stared at her anxiously for a moment, and then nodded hesitantly._

_ "O..Okay."_

Inuyasha awoke with a start. His radio alarm was blaring beside his bed,

"-ood Morning California, today's forecast appears to be beautiful as ever. 80 degrees and sunny. Great way to start of the school ye-"

He slammed his fist down on the clock, and a loud crack resonated throughout the room. His body ached and his head pounded. Slowly, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. His hair fell around him in a wild mess and his maroon bed sheets pooled in his lap. He grit his teeth with frustration.

He was dreaming about her again.

Waves of bitter resentment hit him hard, and at the same time he felt terrified and distraught. Dreaming of her resurfaced twisted memories of sinful actions and muddled emotions. He hated those dreams. It intensified his vice, and reiterated her influence over him. Even though she was gone.

He hated her for that. He hated her for everything he was worth. He hated her because he loved her so much. He hated her because she didn't care. He hated her because she never listened. He hated her because of what he had become. He hated her because she was gone.

She messed him up, and left him to put himself back together alone. In a world that rejected his very existence: a world that didn't understand or care to try.

He stared blankly at the ceiling, remembering how cold her fingers would be as she brushed them across his cheek.

~flashback~

_"Inuyasha..you need to let loose. Relax a little. You take life too seriously. Live a little." _

_She leaned against him. Her scent made his body rigid. Vanilla and smoke. Sweet but bitter. _

_"Just relax." _

~/flashback~

He climbed out of bed, overwhelmed with a headache. His whole body rejected the movement. He wanted to just curl up in a ball and never get up. Lighting up a cigarette with trembling fingers, he closed his eyes trying to wean his headache.

After a moment, he went to the closet to pick out his clothing for the day and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. He looked at his severely cracked bathroom mirror and almost flinched with the painful memory that overcame him.

_Cold. It was very cold. He lay on the hard tile floor of his bathroom trembling in a cold sweat. He couldn't grasp his senses, everything was muddled. _

_His bloodshot eyes stung as he looked languidly around the room. He felt a horrible surge in his stomach and shot upright throwing open the toilet, puking up bile and thick red blood. His throat burned. Blood dripped from the corner of his lips, contrasting his sickly pale skin. _

_With trembling hands he gripped the bathroom counter. He was so sad. All he wanted was happiness, but everything that he was doing backfired on him. He pulled himself to his feet and looked hard at himself._

_His eyes were a pale yellow, glazed. Dead. His silver hair was a mess: dull and stained pink with blood. He looked at his face. Was he crying? He hadn't noticed. Dark circles sat beneath his leaking eyes, and blood stained his lips dripping down his chin._

_He was dying. _

_He had never been angrier with himself in his entire life. Sure, Kikyo had started this mess, but it was he who continued it. He was killing himself. Here he was staring in a mirror overdosing on drugs he never intended to do. _

_In that moment he hated himself. He clenched his teeth and pulled back his fist. Then, with a swift motion, he surged his fist forward and shattered the mirror shooting tiny crystals throughout the room. _

_The last thing he heard before passing out was Sesshomaru yelling at him from downstairs._

He leaned over the sink, heart pounding quickly. It sickened him how easily these thoughts could sweep him mined. He took deep breaths bringing himself back to reality. Looking up, he saw himself now. He stood taller. His skin was tan. His eyes glowed and his hair, although messy, was clean and healthy.

He was okay.

He finished washing up, and tried to prepare himself mentally for his first day back at Shikon High. He knew there would be talk; his classmates hadn't seen him since last winter. He just wanted to get through the day without any questions.

With an exasperated sigh he stepped through his front door and headed grudgedly towards school.

**(Meanwhile…)**

Kagome Higurashi was more than excited to start school.

She woke up early to take a nice cold shower and straighten her hair. She carefully applied a very light brown eye shadow and curled her long eyelashes, applying a layer of mascara. Then, to finish the look, she used a clear lip gloss. She slipped on a white top and a pale green skirt, pairing the outfit with a new pair of slightly heeled shoes. She felt pretty.

She hoped she'd see Inuyasha at school.

After getting dressed, she gleefully headed downstairs. Her mother was waiting for her, ready to drop her off at Shikon High. Grabbing a poptart and her backpack, Kagome ran out the door and hopped into the front seat.

This was her new beginning.


	6. Chapter 6

Hello Readers :3

Whoops! Did I say no sex? I meant no sexual/ physical abuse. They're gonna get together eventually, I promise. ;)

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well today. It's been a very busy summer for me, but I love writing so I decided I'm just gonna make time! haha I absolutely cannot wait for it to start getting cold again. I really dislike hot weather!

I'll get back to work! Thank you for keeping up with the story! xxx

~3

Kagome arrived at Shikon High about fifteen minutes before the bell was to ring. She walked carefully through crowds of people in front of the schools entrance. She could feel eyes on her and felt her cheeks heat up; she held her backpack tightly to her chest and looked through the many faces, trying to find Inuyasha.

Her eyes landed on him quickly. He stood out in the crowd; he was taller than most, and his silver hair was an easy identifier. He was standing near a girl with wavy midnight hair grazing her shoulders, pale skin, and ruby red eyes. The girl had her arms crossed over her chest. She was clad in a black long-sleeved shirt paired with ripped skinny jeans and boots. Inuyasha looked annoyed with the girl as he dug into his pockets, pulling out a pack of cigarettes, and indignantly opening it up to hand her one, which she took smugly. Kagome watched as the girl lit up and took a deep inhale and Inuyasha leaned boredly against the wall behind him, talking to the red eyed girl about something Kagome couldn't hear.

Kagome hesitantly started to move forward. She hoped she wouldn't be intruding.

As she grew closer, she strained her ears to listen. The red eyed girl spoke first. Her voice was low and cold. Kagome stopped in her tracks, she suddenly felt extra cautious. Something told her that girl wasn't good news.

"so, where the hell were you for the past, like.. six months?"

Kagome held still listening silently. Inuyasha was oblivious of her presence. He stared at the ground and scuffed his feet.

"My brother found out... and forced me into treatment."

Kagome's eyes widened, a bit and she felt a pang in her heart. She continued to watch and listen.

"Surprised it took him so long to notice. You were starting to look pretty deadbeat. I thought he was smart n'shit."

Inuyasha scoffed.

" He's not an idiot. He knew I was high all the time, he just had no idea what I was on. So he didn't care to get involved."

Kagome wanted to run up and give Inuyasha a hug. He looked so tired. She wanted to make him smile. She slowly took another step towards him.

Unbeknownst to her, she was also being watched. By two students. They were a bit worried as they watched the new girl start to move slowly towards Inuyasha. She was new, and they didn't want her to get involved in something she couldn't handle. They quietly began walking towards her intending on distracting her and hopefully steering her away from Kaugra an Inuyasha.

Meanwhile, Kagome watched the red eyed girl smirk.

"Sorry I forgot he hated you."

"keh. You're a bitch."

"At least I'm not crazy like you."

"touché."

Kagome watched the banter curiously. It seemed like those two knew each other well. She wondered if they were friends or if they liked each other. She felt a twinge of jealousy and she started to walk forward, intent on talking to Inuyasha.

However, before her first step, she felt a strong grip on her shoulder. She gasped in surprise..

"Hold it Miss."


	7. Chapter 7

Kagomes heart pounded rapidly in her chest as she was lurked backward mid-step. She swayed slightly before halting completely. Nervousness bubbled from the pit of her stomach. Gracefully, she spun on her foot to glare at her intruder. Her cheeks were glowing brilliantly with frustration and embarrassment: she knew this person saw her watching Inuyasha, and she didn't want or need any sudden judgments. She meekly raised her cocoa brown eyes to meet with a young man's navy blue.

He wore a deep purple t-shirt and dark wash jeans. His brown hair was short, but long enough to be in a ponytail at the base of his neck. Beside him stood a girl about Kagomes age. She was very pretty. Her long brown hair was up in a high ponytail, except for her heavy bangs. She was tan, and her brown eyes were lined perfectly and topped with pink eye shadow. She looked very athletic, wearing yoga pants, a pink t-shirt that matched with her pink gym shoes.

Kagome stared at them, expecting an explanation for their approach. Her head tilted slightly to the side and she looked at them curiously with a shy smile. The boy smiled slyly at Kagome, leaving his hand on her shoulder. Then, with a sneaky smirk, he slid his hand from her shoulder and grasped her dainty pale hands in his, leaning his face closer towards her face.

"_Oh my_. What a _fine_ Miss you are...I dare not offend, but I must ask. Would you ever give me the honor of baring my children?"

Kagomes eyes nearly quadrupled in size, and her irritation dissipated into disbelief. She had no idea how to respond to his outrageous question. She had never even kissed a boy, and here was this kid she didn't know asking her to have his child. She sputtered incoherently for a moment before getting out anything that made sense.

"You..your..yo-"

***WACK***

The boy fell flat on his face, releasing Kagomes hands as he fell. Kagome looked down at him awkwardly and back up at the girl who had been beside him, but now stood fuming above him with a wavering clenched fist. Her brown eyes seemed to glow with rage and annoyance. She snapped at her companion through gritted teeth,

"Miroku, you hopeless pervert, leave the poor girl alone."

The boy, Miroku, raised his head, dizzy with impact.

"Sango. That was uncalled for."

"_Save it._"

He slowly stood up, rubbing his head gently. And, Kagome watched with a mixture of wonder and amusement. She raised an eyebrow inquisitively and folded her hands in front of her.

"Well.. I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Kagome, and I assume you are Miroku," she nodded at the boy, "and you are Sango?" She smiled at the girl. The two teens nodded whilst smiling warmly back at her, Sango took a step forward.

"It's so nice to meet you Kagome! We didn't recognize you from around this area, so we thought you might need some good new friends."

Kagome felt happiness bubble in her chest and she smiled fondly at Sango and Miroku: she glanced over her shoulder momentarily to where Inuyasha had been moments before, but now he was nowhere in sight. Slightly disappointed, but still happy to meet new people, she replied sweetly.

" Thank you so much, I did just move here a few weeks ago, and I'd love to get to know you two! So far, I've only met Inuyasha! I was hoping to get to know him better as well."

She watched the two teens faces darken and they glanced at each other with subtle remorse, for reasons Kagome did not understand. _Yet._ Sango then stepped closer to Kagome giving her a gentle smile.

"I see... I'll have to talk to you about Inuyasha a little then. You see, he had been one of my best friends, But let's save that conversation for later; Could I see your schedule?"

Kagome didn't understand why They _'had been'_ best friends. _What changed?_ However, she kept her thoughts to herself as she pulled out her schedule and handed it to Sango and Miroku. Sango scanned the schedule excitedly,

"Holy cow Kagome! We have, like, every class together except foreign language!"

Miroku smiled as well,

"We have Ap psychology, physics, and lunch together!"

Kagome clapped her hands together in an excited gesture,

"That's awesome! I can't wait!"

Sango handed Kagome back her schedule and smoothed out her ponytail.

"Let's go find your locker and then we could head to class. The first bell is going to ring in about five minutes, so we have time!"

Kagome nodded at Sango and followed her into the building. They wandered quickly through the hallways and chatted about simple things, just making light conversation. As they walked Kagome kept her eyes open for Inuyasha. She hoped they'd have some classed together. She was distracted in her own thoughts when she heard Sango say her name.

"Kagome? Here's your locker."

There was something in Sango's tone that made Kagome a bit apprehensive. She noticed Sango was looking past her down the hallway, so Kagome followed her gaze.

Her brown eyes met dazzling gold.

Inuyasha was walking towards them from down the hall. He was alone. His eyes met Sango's and he gave her a bitter look before looking at Kagome, smiling slightly at her. Kagome paid close attention to the subtleties as he approached, like the way his eyes still radiated deep distrust and pain or the way his broad shoulders slumped a bit. He walked closer in fluid movements and stopped at a locker nearly three feet away from hers, dropping his backpack on the ground and fumbling with the combination.

Kagome couldn't help but smile. It looked like fate was on her side. She was going to be around Inuyasha quite a bit this year.


	8. Chapter 8

Inuyasha could feel Kagomes eyes on him as he opened his locker with a rough yank. The old locker screeched in protest, its bright turquois color had been cheaply painted and was bubbling up in some places, there were even spaces where paint had peeled off, exposing the rusted metal that lay beneath, and it smelled too from many years of use. Inuyasha wrinkled his sensitive nose in reserved distaste: the musty-metallic scent was overwhelming. He knelt down beside his dark red backpack, varnished with bubbly handwritten notes and inside jokes from some people he couldn't remember meeting and other people he would never forget. Pens scattered across the tile floor beneath him as he pulled out his binders and he cursed beneath his breath, scrambling clumsily forward in his kneeling position to pick them up; yet, to his surprise, Kagome beat him to it, crouching daintily directly in front of him.

Her slim pale fingers, complete with light green polish, slipped beneath his hands in a smooth movement. He could feel the warmth of her body radiate like a warm summer breeze, the skin of her hand brushed across the tips of his fingers. He was certain it was by accident, but that didn't stop his cheeks from reddening considerably. He could hear the beat of her heart increase in speed just a tad, or was that just him yearning for some level of affection from the beauty that knelt inches before him? His fingertips tingled where her smooth skin had brushed across his, and his throat went dry. Her sweet vanilla scent tickled his nose, and he hated to admit it, but he found her presence intoxicating. He just didn't want to deal with the pain, the pity, or the rejection he was sure to face, so he told himself he'd do his best to distance himself from her. He told himself it was just because she resembled Kikyo that he was getting these feelings. He didn't want love anymore; like Kikyo said, _love is for fools_.

While Kagome munificently assisted him with his scattered pens, Inuyasha took a moment to really look at her. He observed the elegant curve of her heart shaped face. Her cheekbones were high and proud, and a light sunburn tinted them pink. Besides the sunburn, her skin was perfectly smooth and milky white. His hand twitched slightly, he instinctively yearned to run his hand across her cheek. Pushing the thought aside, he fixed his gaze to her large eyes. Although they were focused on the ground in front of her, he could still note the magnificent milk-chocolaty colored orbs, dotted graciously with a warm copper color that made them glimmer beautifully. The wide orbs were complimented by long thick eyelashes, '_le cil'_, he thought, as a French film, A tes amours, he'd seen in freshman year came to mind, remembering that the word meant eyelash. The movie was about a boy who had fallen hopelessly in love with a girl named Silvi, and he spoke about her eyelashes for a long while in the film. Inuyasha always thought that part of the movie was a bit creepy, but here he was admiring Kagomes eyelashes like some love-deprived creeper. He blushed darkly at the thought, and a rather queer feeling bubbled up in the pit of his stomach. He looked away nervously, not wanting her to catch him mid-stare.

However, Kagome didn't need to catch him in the act to know he was staring. She could feel those smoldering amber orbs picking her apart and admiring her piece by piece. She felt dizzy with emotion. To begin with, she had never been so interested in another in her entire life, and Inuyasha was such a mystery to her. He intrigued her to the point where she was spying, just that morning. She slowly picked up the last pen and gently took Inuyasha's hand pressing them into him palm and running her fingers over his skin as she pulled away. It took all her strength not to linger; his skin was smoldering hot under her touch. The touch seemed coax a feral part of her mind she didn't know she had. She swallowed hard and laced her hands behind her back as she stood up gracefully. Inuyasha followed closely behind, rising to his feet and picking up his now empty backpack, except for a few essentials for the first day of class. The two teens stared at each other for a moment, emotions scrambled and hearts beating quickly. Inuyasha tilted his head slightly in a half nod speaking lowly,

"Thanks Kagome."

She smiled sweetly up at him, curling her toes happily and leaning forward a bit. Her green skirt flowed around her hips in an innocent gesture that seemed to scatter the trance Inuyasha had stumbled into unintentionally. She reminded him of spring, youthful and happy, the light of the world bringing warmth after months of cold grey darkness. Then, without warning, she let out a girlish giggle. The whimsical sound echoed within his mind, and then she smiled. The most beautiful, warm, and trusting smile he had ever been graced with. It seemed to warm him straight to the core. His heart leaped to his throat.

"I wanted to help Inuyasha. I'm so happy I'll get the chance to really know you."

She bowed playfully and spun on to face Sango, leaving Inuyasha stunned in place. His golden eyes watched her retreating lithe form. Everything in him wanted to be close to her, and it scared him.

"Let's get to class Sango!"

Sango glanced worriedly over her shoulder at Inuyasha, but nodded and linked arms with Kagome.

"This way Kagome."

Inuyasha remained where he was, until he couldn't hear the gentle click of Kagomes wedged shoes across the schools tiled floors. He could still feel the warmth of her skin against his hands. It was different from Kikyo. Kikyo was cold. He gently closed his locker and pulled his backpack over his shoulder. The halls were nearly empty, but he still had two minutes to get to class. So he took his time. Teachers stood outside of classrooms holding Room number signs for those who were lost around the school. He quietly observed the security guards pointing in random directions for multiple students, especially freshmen. As he headed to his literature class, he watched one particular freshman in silent amusement.

The red headed boy was quite scrawny, but he was obviously a demon. His fluffy fox tail was twitching madly as he dashed from room to room, to stubborn to ask for help. The kid growled loudly and scrunched his schedule aggressively. Tears started to gather in the corner of the kid's eyes, and Inuyasha felt a twinge of remorse for the fool. He remembered his first day of high school, and how panicked he had been wandering the halls of the new school. Although, it was very different for Inuyasha being half-demon half demon, nobody helped him. Inuyasha pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he approached the freshman.

"Hey Kid, need some help?"

The boy jumped in surprise and whipped around to growl at Inuyasha, although the growl died down when he realized the half-demon was nearly twice his size.

"NO! I know what I'm doing! Plus, why would I need help from a half-breed."

Then the kid stuck his tongue out immaturely, as if Inuyasha would be hurt by that. Inuyahsa just rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes, excuse me, I forgot that your demon blood gives you innate gps. Forgive me. Have a fantastic fucking day twerp."

The kitsune opened his mouth to protest Inuyasha's response but was interrupted by the first bell ringing. Inuyasha was already halfway down the hall. The boy looked around frantically and then groaned in frustration as he hopped quickly after Inuyasha,

"Wait! Please! Stop Please!"

Inuyasha ignored him and continued walking quickly,

"I'm sorry I said what I did!"

Inuyasha stopped in his place and turned languidly,

"Hmm?"

"I said I'm sorry for what I said! Please help me!"

Inuyasha shrugged and inhaled boredly, feeling a headache forming.

"Fine, which class?"

The Kitsune, who had divulged the name Shippo to Inuyasha as he showed him to class, was very lost. Inuyasha had to lead him all the way to the other end of the school, getting the kid to class just as the bell rang, and groaning in frustration realizing he'd already started the year with a detention. He walked quickly back towards his classroom and knocked on the now closed door. His teacher opened the door and gave him a disappointed once over. She pushed her round glasses upward on her pig-like nose with her long manicured nails. Her odor was masked with an overabundance of perfume, powder and lotion, and Inuyasha sneezed three times as he entered the room. She narrowed her eyes and placed her pudgy hands on her blubbery hips, shoved into pants two sizes too small.

"What a surprise. Nice to see you decided to come to class for once Mr. Takahashi."

Inuyasha shrugged and some of the students laughed throughout the classroom. He didn't see the point in explaining his reasons. The woman wouldn't believe him anyway.

"Oh so now you're going to ignore me, that's a Saturday attention for you sir."

Inuyasha grit his teeth and took the red detention slip from her hand as she wobbled up to him. He crumpled it up in front of her face and shoved it into his jean pocket. The woman's makeup caked bug eyes watched with horror and she opened her fish pucker mouth in silent protest. His classmates snorted with laughter. And Inuyasha smiled fakely, speaking through his teeth.

"Which seat Ms. ?"

The woman sputtered before pointing towards the back of the room. Inuyasha followed the point of her pudgy finger and froze. Typically he'd be happy with a seat in the back of a room. But not with a seat next to his former drug dealer. The malicious bastard smiled evilly and leaned back in his seat. He couldn't contain his disappointment as he stared into the face of Naraku Onigumo.

_"Oh fuck me."_

The fat whale-like teacher smirked meanly,

"That's another Saturday detention Mr. Takahashi."


End file.
